Zig-zag sewing machine for producing different fancy-stitch seams



Sept. 17, 1963 Filed May 20, 19Go H. G. TLLE ZIG-ZAG SEWING MACHINE FORPRODUCING DIFFERENT FANCY-STITCH SEAMS INVENTOR 527/25 Hf/#ef 70"//6 BYam ATTORNEYS Sept. 17, 1963 H. G. r'I'LLE 3,103,904

ZIG-ZAG SEWING MACHINE kFOR `PRODUCING DIFFERENT `FANCY-STITCH ISEAMSFiled May 20, 1960 5 .Sheets-'Sheet 4 INVENTOR Hans GL'zl/zzr 707/67 MMBY Cfgq ATTORNEYS Sept. 17, 1963 H..G. TLLE 3,103,904

zIG-zAG SEWING MACHINE FoR PRoDUcING DIFFERENT FANCY-STITCH SEAMS vFiled May 20.11960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 5

INVENTOR Afa/z5 fffef 727/0' BY q* w, n.

4 ATTORNEYS 3,103,904 ZIG-ZAG SEWING MACHINE FR PRODUCING DIFFERENTFANCY-STITCH SEAMS Hans Gnter Tile, Bielefeld, Germany, assigner toKochs Adlernahmaschinenwerke AG., Bielefeld, Germany, a firm Filed May20, 1960, Ser. No. 30,471 7 Claims. (Cl. 112-158) rl"his inventionrelates to sewing machines, and more specifically to a Zig-zag sewingmachine for producing different fancy-stitch seams by means of a patterndevice which consists of at least one pattern carrier which can beselectively sensed by Ia .following means to produce a cyclic, endlessrepetition of a given Zig-zag stitch pattern.

In the known sewing machines of this type various automatic arrangements`are Iused; on the one hand arrangements with exchangeable separate camdiscs and, on the other hand, arrangements with fixed or exchangeablecam discs in the Aform of whole cam sets. For each cam disc or eac-h setof cam Idiscs a common transmission member, for example in the form of acontact lever, is provided in one case, which lever by shifting in axialdirection of the set of cams or in some other suitable manner isselectively adjustable to one or other of the cam discs. in `anothercase a single contact lever is provided for each cam disc. From a seriesof contact Ilevers the lever for a predetermined cam disc is Vthenbrought in-to engagement therewith.

In the known forms of vconstruction a series of controlling andselecting operations is necessary to set the machine in operation. lnaddition, these known automatic machines are very complicated to operatewith the result that 'a housewife does not use such automatic controlsat all or only to a limited extent and consequently utilizes them veryuneconomically.

The separate exchangeable cam discs are open to the objection that aconsiderable amount of time is required for exchanging them. Anotherdisadvantage is that the individual `cam discs, after being slipped ontothe axle, must be engaged lwith an entrainment pin or nose. Yet anotherdisadvantage is that for inserting o-r exchanging the cam discs or packsof cam discs there must be provided a large window, to be closed by ahinged cover, lest the outer appearance of the machine should bedisturbed.

On the other hand, sets of cam discs which are fixed or exchangeablyfitted, are open to the objection that several manipulations arenecessary for setting the machine in operation and that only arelatively small number of stitch designs can be produced therewith. Inaddition, in all these constructions, a clear view of lthe availablepatterns is lacking.

All these known devices have the drawback in common that they require arelatively large amount of space for fitting, which in turn unfavorablyalects the external shape of the sewing machine. This is true in thecase of the sets of cam discs, when it is desired to combine thegreatest possible number of cam discs to form a set of cams. Moreover,the cam discs must be relatively large in order .to ensure perfectadjustment values. If it is a question of a pattern :device with onecontact lever for each of the individual cam discs the conditionsdescribed are rendered worse by the series of contact levers.

Moreover, such cam `discs are very complicated and expensive to producebecause the stitch pattern must be transcribed on :a circle and theremust be a hub extending exactly in the middle to receive the axle @forthe entrainment means.

It is, therefore, lthe object of the present invention to overcome thedrawbacks referred to. 'I'his object is attained by providing a zig-zagsewing machine for producing different fancy-stitch seams, whichcomprises in United States Patent O Patented Sept. 17, 1963 icecombination at least one elongated cam member of a given, xed lengthwith at least one multiple contoured cam surface Vformed thereon, ahousing or frame arranged to exchangeably receive said elongated cammember and having a longitudinally extending slot through which saidseries of cams project, -an elongated tframelike member arranged besidethe housing and extending parallel thereto, two spaced rotatable wheelssupported by said frame, an endless member led around said wheels andcarrying at least one follower element :for sensing cooperation withsaid cam surface, driving means connected with one of the wheels 'forcirculating the endless member, spaced pivoted links connecting thehousing to the frame and allowing horizontal movements of one of theelongated members with respect to the other in dependency upon thecooperation of the follower element of the endless member with the camsurface of the elongated cam member, and means for transmitting thehorizontal movements of the one elongated member to a needle bar slideof the sewing machine. v

When a plurality of follower elements are carried by the end-lessmember, said elements are arranged so that during the sensing operationonly one follower element traveling along a straight path runs over theelongated cam surface and shortly before this follower element leavesthe elongated cam member the next follower element comes into contactwith it.l

The arrangement of the housing of the elongated cam member in relationto the elongated fframelike member can be effected in two differentways.

rlihe rst and preferred possibility consists in that the elongatedframelike member is fixed in the housing or to the frame of the sewingmachine, whereas the housing of the elongated cam member is guided bymeans of a parallelogram guide system to transmit to the needle barslide its movements consisting in lateral parallel displacements inrelation to the straight path of the endless member.

The second and obvious reversal -is wherein the elongated cam member isfixed .to the frame or housing of the sewing machine and the elongatedframelike member is operatively connected withv the needle bar slide ofthe sewing machine. n

Y The elongated cam member can be arranged as a separate exchangeablemember which can be selected from a group of preformed different cammembers for different patterns of stitches. Irrespectively of whichelongated cam member is used, a funnel-shaped housing of rectangular orsimilar cross-section is required, into which the elongated cam memberis inserted. At the same time there must be a suitable aperture in thehousing of the sewing machine.

Normally, however, the engagement or `disengagement of the patterndevice will be effected by a lever which projects laterally or upwardlyfrom out of the housing arm. This lever serves at the same time foractuating the zig-Zag device if, for certain reasons, it is to becontrolled by hand.

Several preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described byway of example and with reference to the accompanying schematicdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a sewing machine according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of FIG. `1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing a modified driveconstruction;

FIG. 4 is a top plan View of a transmission mechanism for the lateralneedle bar movement, and

FIG. 5 shows, on an enlarged scale, an elongated cam member with twoydifferent series of cams, and an example of the stitching patterncreated thereby.

FIG. 1 shows a Zig-Zag sewing machine with a needle o bar slide 15 and acontrol system for transmitting controlling movements to said needle barslide 15. The con trol system is composed of an elongated friamelikemember 1 and two spaced guide sprocket wheels 2 and 3 around which anendless member in form of a chain 4 is led. The guide sprocket wheels 2and 3 are rotatable on axles 5 supported by the elongated framelikemember 1. Lt is self-evident that instead of :a chain also a band orbelt with at least one follower element formed thereon may be used.

The elongated framelike member 1 of the control sys tem is rigidlyconnected to the housing or frame of the sewing machine. The chain 4carries follower elements 6, 7 and `8 fixed thereto at predetermineddistances apart. The distances between the follower elements 6 and 7, 7and 8 and 8 and 6, respectively, are dependent upon the length of anelongated cam member 9` having at least one series of cams 9' formedthereon. This elongated cam member is inserted in a housing 10. 4On theside facing the `follower' elements 6, 7 and 8 the housing 1b has anelongated slot through which the follower elements of the elongated cammember 9 projects so as to be engageable by the follower elements 6, 7and 8.

Spaced struts or links 11 and 12 connect the housing with the elongatedframelike member 1 and ,are pivoted thereon so as to form afour-link-motion coupling gear or kinematic chain in the form of aparallelogram,

the elongated framelike member 1 forming a saddle fixed to the housingof the sewing machine.

A pressure lever 13 is linked to the upper end of the housing 19 andconnected to the needle bar slide 15 through the intermediary of a swingslide lever 14. The needle bar slide 15 is pivotally suspended and isurged in the direction of the housing 10 of the elongated cam member 9by a pressure spring 16 so that the cam surface of the elongated cammember 9 is always in contact with the follower elements 6, 7 or 8according to the respective positions of these follower elements.

The construction illustrated in FIG. l operates in the following manner:

The chain 4 circulates with the follower elements 6, 7 and 8. In so`doing these follower elements act consecutively on the cam surface ofthe elongated cam member 9. The follower elements `6, 7 and S arearranged on the chain 4 so that one of them comes into contact with theelongated cam member 9 shortly before the preceding follower memberleaves the same. As the chain 4 ciroulates, the follower elements 6, 7and y8 engage the elongated cam member 9 along a straight path and thehorizontal movements of said member are transmitted to the needle barslide 15 through the intermediary of the levers 13 and 14 so that theneedle bar slide 15 is caused to make corresponding movements at rightangles on either side of the course of the middle of a seam.

It will be obvious that, if desired, the structure of FIG. 1 could bereversed, the housing 10 being fixed to the frame and the frame member 1being connected to the linkage 13-14, to accomplish the same function,namely, relative movement between the cam means yand the follower means.

As shown in FIG. 2, a worm 17 is connected with a shaft 18 and arrangedto transmit a rotary movement to the lower sprocket wheel 2 through theintermediary of a worm wheel 419. The chain 4 and the follower elements6, 7 and 8 fixed thereon are driven by the sprocket wheel 2.

According to FIG. 3 the drive may also be effected from an arm shaft 20through -the intermediary of the worm 17 and the worm Wheel 19 to theupper sprocket wheel 3 whereby the chain 4 with its Afollower elements6, 7 and 8 is caused to circulate.

FIG. 3 shows that the drive need not necessarily be derived lfrom theshaft 18 but can be effected by any uniformly rotating shaft. i

FIGS. l and 4 show the mechanism by which tbe usual,

regular, even zig-zag stitch pattern is made. These gures :also show themechanism by which the stitch width of the regular, even zig-zag stitchis adjusted and the manner in which this mechanism may be made to engagethe automatic fancy stitching mechanism of the present invention foruse.

A bevel wheel 21 mounted on the arm shaft -20 drives a stitch widthadjusting cam wheel 22. The eccentric movement of the cam wheel 22 istransmitted to a stitch width slide 23 and imparts -to the latter alateral deflection. By moving the stitch width adjusting lever 24, whichis pivotally mounted on the frame support S, in the arrowed direction 4a slide block 25 will shift in the slide 23 in the arrowed direction x.The slide block 25 will carry with it the pressure rod 26 which isconnected to the lever 14 and the notch 26a of the pressure rod 26 willlbe disengaged from a rounded face 29 of a push rod Sil. The cam ywheel22 will thus drive the slide 23, the slide block 25, the pressure rod 26and the lever 14, causing the needle bar yslide `15 to have a repeated,even transverse movement against the bias of the spring 16, creating aneven zig-zag stitch.

When it is desired, however, to use the automatic, cyclic fancy stitchpattern provided by the present invention, lthe lever 24 is moved firstto its furthest position in the arrowed direction 4. A pattern 9 is theninserted into a pattern housing 28. The lever 24 is then moved back to astop position in the arrowed direction Z. The slide block 25 moves tothe position shown in FIG. 4. The pressure rod 26 and its notch 26a willengage the rounded face 29 of the push rod 30. The push rod 30 carryingthe pattern housing 28 thus moves the pattern into contact with thefollowing elements of the chain 4. The circulating movement of the chain4 with the following elements 6, 7 and 8 sensing the cam surface ofthepattern 9 transmits a lateral movement to the push rod 30 and throughythe pressure rod 26, to the needle bar slide 15. The transmission ismaintained in positive connection by means of the spring 16.

By inserting the elongated cam member 9 (see FIG. 5) in the housing 10and the follower elements 6, 7 and 8 sensing the series of cams 9' asewing design A is produced by the depressions and raised portions ofsaid series of cams 9" and by the transmission to the needle bar by themechanism shown in FIG. 4. By turning the elongated cam member 9 throughan angle of 180 and again inserting it in the housing 10, a sewingdesign B is produced by the Ifollower elements 6, 7 and 8 sensing theseries of cams 9". In this manner a large variety of sewing designs canbe produced.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in al1 respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

l. In a zig-zag sewing machine of the type including a frame having aneedle bar slide transversely movable relative thereto across a seampath; a pattern device for cyclic, endless repetition of a given zig-zagstitch pattern, said device comprising a cam means including a multiplecontoured cam surface of a given, lixed length, and a follower meansincluding a driven, endless carrier member having at least one straightrun closely adjacent to and substantially coextensive with said camsurface and at least one `follower element secured to said endlesscarrier member and engaging with said cam surface as said followerelement is moved along said straight run by said endless carrier, saidcam means and `said follower means being adapted for relative movementone toward the other, one of Isaid means being `ixedly supportedrelative to said frame, the other of -said means. -being connected by alinkage to said needle bar slide, whereby as said endless carrier isdriven said follower member will eyelically engage said multiplecontoured cani surface, causing relative movement between said cam meansand said follower means accord-ing Ito the pattern of said cam :surface`and thereby a corresponding transverse Inlovernent of said needle barslide across said seam path 4whereby `a given zig-zag stitch will becyclically and endlessly repeated.

2. A st-itch pattern device as set forth in claim 1, 1wherein said cammeans includes a holder and a cam element bearing said cam surfaceremovably mounted in said holder.

3. A stitch pattern device as set for-'th in clmm 1, wherein said cammeans includes a housing sl-idahly receiving a cam element which hassaid cam surface `formed thereon.

4. A stitch pattern device as set forth in claim l, wherein said cammeans includes a housing slidahly receiving a cam element which has saidcam surface formed thereon, said housing having a funnel-shaped upperend adapted to open through a sewing machine housing.

5. A stitch pattern device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said camImeans and said follower means are connected by parallel linkages formovement relative to each other.

6. A stitch pattern device as set forth in claim l, wherein said endless`carrier has a plurality of follower elements thereon, the elements eachbeing spaced apart Ialong said carrier a distance substantially equal tothe length of said multiple contoured cam surface whereby as one elementis moved off of one end of said cam surface another element will bemoved into engagement with the opposite end of said `cam surface.

7. A stitch pattern `device as set forth in claim l, wherein saidconnecting linkage includes a pair of link arms operatively connected inend to end relationship and lever means for disconnecting said linkarms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS684,377 Metzger Oct. 8, 1901 691,644 Mainguet Jan. 21, 1902 1,814,757Lucas July 14, 1931 2,897,464 Miller July 28, 1959 2,958,299 WatermanNov. 1, 1960 3,013,512 Yamashita Dec. 19, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 792,784Great Britain Apr. 2, 1958 517,363 Italy Feb. 28, 1955 534,365 ItalyOct. 14, 1955

1. IN A ZIG-ZAG SEWING MACHINE OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A FRAME HAVING ANEEDLE BAR SLIDE TRANSVERSELY MOVABLE RELATIVE THERETO ACROSS A SEAMPATH; A PATTERN DEVICE FOR CYCLIC, ENDLESS REPETITION OF A GIVEN ZIG-ZAGSTITCH PATTERN, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A CAM MEANS INCLUDING A MULTIPLECONTOURED CAM SURFACE OF A GIVEN, FIXED LENGTH, AND A FOLLOWER MEANSINCLUDING A DRIVEN, ENDLESS CARRIER MEMBER HAVING AT LEAST ONE STRAIGHTRUN CLOSELY ADJACENT TO AND SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH SAID CAMSURFACE AND AT LEAST ONE FOLLOWER ELEMENT SECURED TO SAID ENDLESSCARRIER MEMBER ELEMENT IS MOVED ALONG SAID STRAIGHT RUN SAID FOLLOWERELEMENT IS MOVED ALONG SAID STRAIGHT RUN BY SAID ENDLESS CARRIER, SAIDCAM MEANS AND SAID FOLLOWER